That which is placed in the foremost rank of "the secondary causes of the rapid growth of the Christian church," seems so singular, that, were it not exhibited in the very words of Mr Gibbon, my readers might suspect me of having either misunderstood or falsified the original. ....
Dalrymple, David,Sir,1726-1792.
Sharpe, Charles Kirkpatrick,1781-1851,former owner.NLS
[London? : s.n.,
1780?].
Title from opening words of text.
Extracts from chapters 1,2 (pp. 1-48, first sequence) and 4 (pp. 1-32, second sequence) of an unidentified and unpublished edition of "An inquiry into the secondary causes which Mr Gibbon has assigned for the rapid growth of Christianity" by Sir David Dalrymple.
Bound with part of an unidentified work by Dalrymple (Tyn.380(2)); on verso of front free endpaper on volume there is the following note made by former owner, Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe: This, and the following vols. contain proof sheets of sundry of Lord Hailes's works - corrected by himself - I purchased them from Speare the bookseller. N.B. the glossary [the word 'dictionary' is scored out] never was published.
ESTC suggests from BL copy that the extracts are possibly from a periodical, the NLS copy consists of proof sheets used by the author.
Manuscript annotation on front free end-paper and throughout the book.
ESTC
Ownership inscription on front pastedown reads: Chas. Kirkpatrick / Sharpe.
Gibbon, Edward, 1737-1794.